Bankruptcy Is Theme For Moot Court Contest

This weekend, Miami Law will host the first annual Florida/Eleventh Circuit Bankruptcy Moot Court Event for the 2012 Cristol, Kahn, Paskay Cup. The initial contests will take place at the Courtyard Miami Coconut Grove Hotel, and final rounds on Miami Law's campus. Sponsored by the Bankruptcy Bar Association of the Southern District of Florida, the event, on Friday and Saturday, has the support of some of the nation's most prestigious law firms and attorneys.

By UM News 02-20-2012

Ten teams from throughout the Southeast are registered to compete. Each team will argue in two preliminary rounds, and the four highest-scoring teams will argue in a semifinal round on Saturday afternoon. The winner from each semifinal round will advance to the finals.

"Students competing will learn cutting-edge bankruptcy issues and expertise in advocacy skills," said Alicia Kobasky, 3L, who serves as the CKP Cup vice-president and is on the University of Miami School of Law Moot Court Board. "By viewing the competition, non-participating students can experience a live courtroom argument of competitors being challenged by judges from the trial level to the Circuit Court of Appeals."

The CKP Cup serves as a formal practice for students registered to compete in the Duberstein Moot Court Competition in New York City in March. Although the CKP Cup is not an elimination roud for the Duberstein competiton, each team competing for the CKP Cup must be registered for both competitions.

"Duberstein is the premier bankruptcy competition, and the 11th Circuit competition has been in demand for a number of years," Kobasky said, adding that the 11th Circuit teams have traditionally done exceedingly well in the Duberstein competition.

This year, she said, the competing teams in the 11th Circuit "will have an even better competitive edge." Kobasky gave credit to Professor Patricia Redmond, the director of Miami Law's Bankruptcy Clinic, and her husband for raising the money required for Miami Law "to sponsor this prestigious event."

Professor Redmond teaches Bankruptcy and Reorganization in Bankruptcy, a seminar that studies principal issues raised by Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code.

Awards in the CKP Cup will include a trophy for the first- and second-place teams, and oral advocacy awards. Judges and prominent bankruptcy practitioners will judge rounds, and teams will receive constructive criticism and suggestions after each round. A reception will be held for all participants, coaches and judges at Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A.

The event is named in honor of three federal bankruptcy judges who serve or have served in the 11th Circuit: A. Jay Cristol of the Southern District of Florida; A. David Kahn of the Northern District of Georgia; and Alexander L. Paskay of the Middle District of Florida.